Identifying missing eps of long running series?

[davidstead]

Hi,
Just a general enquiry, as to how one goes about identifying orphaned episodes of long running series/serials, if and when they are uncovered?
ie:Crossroads/united/newcomers/E.Ward 10/grove family etc.,
Being that in general, f/r's do not have original vt clocks on and also generally don't have episode titles either, plus also no copyright date at end (at least pre 1972 anyway).
Davidxx

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

The way I'd do things, is if you have something check on lost shows if it's missing. Then check with a Forum that has any experts on it for that particular serial. And if you PERSONALLY have anything in particular, let THIS Forum know about it, so at least someone can tell you (or hazard a guess) whether it's existing or not! I'm sure you'll do that anyway!

[davidstead]

Hi Ray,
Thanks for that reply, though if something has no ep title, lost shows list isn't likely to be much help is it?
an unfortunate slip of the keyboard keys to large format I notice!
Dx

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

That's just me, I'm annoying like that! Do you know what year the programme's from? Or any unusual members of the cast? Anything like that?

[davidstead]

Hi Ray,
Lol, I thought it was you probably being a bit of eager.
I'm not enquiring about anything in particular, just wondered how one went about easily identifying things without much info to go on.
I've unearthed various odds and sods over the years (returned via Steve Roberts if BBC). ITV stuff I've either kept or mostly sold on to other collectors.
The Val Doonican from 1970 was me,a Lulu from August 1970 I unearthed and sold on to Jonathan Woods (who has since returned it I believe), Benny Hill Sr1 Ep1 was me again. a Boyd QC, 2 No Hiding place eps, the first ep of Riviera Police and a Badgers Bend to boot. Just a few of the bits and bobs off the top of my head. I also own the prints for The Long Way Home, which was unearthed and returned by my friend Dave Palfreyman who then sold them to me. So I've done my bit over the years, but things are increasingly difficult to find these days, that's why it was wonderful to hear about the library of Congress finds.
It's also quite a suprise to find out things like the Jon Pertwee this is your life audio I have, is quite rare (I thought it was widely held for years!).
This missingepisodes website I think is invaluable for keeping track on latest finds. I'm looking forward to reading the new book by Richard Molesworth on the story behind the various Dr Who finds as I was the one who (while working at BBC Ents), made sure that David Jackson of BBc Video got Tomb before the Film Library - Much to the annoyance of Adam Lee I understand - so BBC Video could issue the story asap after being unearthed. Had the Library got it back first, only a dupe print from the dupe neg would have been offered to BBC Video and would have taken longer to release. As David Jackson told Adam Lee, they were ents prints returned to woodlands, so David Jackson had every right to have them first.
As Michael Caine would say...not a lot of people know that....lol.
Davidx

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Things are difficult to find! I'm hoping that when I get my week off in October, I can spend 12 hours straight doing internet research to find clips. There's quite a bit of mid-70's stuff on YouTube I've found, but I reckon 90% plus is not missing. What my aim is, is to post the links and go from there.

Great work, you've done by the way.

[Rich Cornock]

hats off to you all, keep up the good work guys

[Deleted]

You've made some interesting finds over the years there, David. It makes it very difficult with long-running shows that there is no single specific way of identifying an item! Some series have dedicated and detailed episode listings which can often be accessed online while others have nothing at all to represent them. It's always worth running things past the people on this forum though as we can usually identify what something is between us or know someone who can! And if we can't then i'm sure that the people at Kaleidoscope (who do such a good job for the cause of missing TV) can.

[davidstead]

Thanks Laurence, Rich and Ray, for all your comments.

I think I've just been quite lucky over the years. It all started of course with The Dr Who Ep Wheel in Space 3 (the true facts surrounding it's unearthing and return are in Richard Molesworth's book), along with Dominators 5 and a spanish print of Planet of Giants 3.
From then on I just happened to be in the right place looking at the right lists, at the right times.
I was a good friend with the late Richard Down from the early 80's and he gave me his Muffin print after the Beeb took a copy, that set me off on a quest for those as well (I have 20 of the 25 ever made, but that's another tale... - they were never BBC copyright interestingly enough as they were made by the Hogarth's, none of the live episodes were ever recorded) - I know they are out on DVD, but that is a bone of contention, the only ones legitimate, were the rpts on Bravo in the 90's (I was given their Beta SP's when they had finished their run as well.).
Oh yes, one I have remembered, that I found and has since been re'unearthed' on u-tube, presumably by the chappie that bought it, was the colour f/r of Englebert from 1970 (ATV a bit of a rough f/r). I felt it was worth tfr'ing, but that was about all. So it isn't such a new find in effect...lol.
If you ever get to see the video that Paul Vanezis did in 1985 at Windmill Road, it shows me at the computer with my two former bosses Steve Bryant and Adam Lee, so I hope I dont come across big headed at all?
I did just happen to have been very lucky (I suppose that included surviving my Brain Haemorrage in 1987 - Steve actually brought me a box of chocolates during my time in Charing Cross hospital).
These days I suffer with problems relating to delayed effects from that Haemorrage in that I have short term memory and concentration difficulties and have been on medication for over 20 years now. However my long term memory is still as good as it always was, I keep being told I ought to put my recollections in a book, being that I was at Windmill Road from 1985-91and ents in 1991-92 (even doing a stint in Ealing Studios in 1989).
Still I seem to be telling most of the stuff on this forum...lol...lol!
I do appreciate the very kind comments that have been said though, thankyou a lot.
Davidxx

[Deleted]

Very pleased to hear from you about it all, David! I'm always interested in tales of episode recoveries anyway and so what you have to say is fascinating (particularly re: Muffin).

Go ahead and write those memoirs and keep posting too!

[Steve Roberts]

Oct 4, 2010 16:38:37 GMT davidstead said:

I also own the prints for The Long Way Home, which was unearthed and returned by my friend Dave Palfreyman who then sold them to me.

Hiya David, hope you're well?

Re the above, you're obviously unaware of this, but the 'Long Way Home' films weren't Dave's to sell! He collected them from the original seller, but he borrowed the money from Peter F in order to do so and never reimbursed him...

[Gary Critcher]

Gosh, David, you and I overlap somewhat, I worked in the VT Cataloguing Unit @ TVC from between 1982 and 1986 (an office that was part of the Film & VT Library, even though it wasn't at WMR) before I left and joined (literally) the office next door, being Current Ops. When I was in Cataloguing, I regularly used to have to nip down to WMR to 'accesion' VT's that had been missed off the system from the regions etc.

[davidstead]

Hello Steve,

Thx 4 the message on here. I never knew that story about the Long Way Home, I only ever knew he had them and sold them to me - I think Dave deserves a spanking! - Though he might enjoy that...lol.

You probably recently read about the 'Pertwee' TIYL audio on here from Gordon Roxborough. If you need either of our Tfr's for anything, just give us a shout.

I'm generally fine, I hope you and Sue are well?

Cheers,

Davidxx